Note: Ansonia Alderman John Marini sent the following to the Valley Indy Friday morning after reading a story published Thursday night on the proposed 2013 – 2014 Ansonia budget.
The vocal involvement from the community on the budget is really commendable. City Hall should always be kept accountable to the residents and taxpayers. Spirited debate on both sides of any issue should be welcomed and encouraged. If city officials feel uncomfortable with that, they should really rethink who they are working for.
I regret missing the meeting. I likely would have attended if not for a Friday morning conference at the Stamford Superior Court I needed to prepare for. However, I have to speak up for my fellow colleagues on the Board of Aldermen – Republicans and Democrats. The aldermen have been part of the budget process since December. They conducted meetings with every city department, including the Board of Education. The aldermen addressed public comments when passing the first draft of this budget in February. Representatives from the Board of Aldermen also sat in during the tax board’s budget deliberations in March and April.
Disparaging the aldermen for their non-involvement at this one meeting is entirely unfair – they have been involved in this process for months. I am particularly disappointed that such remarks would come from members of the tax board. It is important to remember that the budgetary system in Ansonia gives final authority of the budget to the tax board and that, at this point, the Board of Aldermen is essentially powerless.. This system is supposedly designed to separate politics from the budget process. However, it appears that members of the tax board are now seeking political cover. This is extremely disheartening. We do not need scapegoating from the tax board or anyone else in city hall. We need leadership.
Here are thoughts I would have voiced at the meeting last night:
1. The Board of Education is clearly underfunded. All-day kindergarten should, in my opinion, be the first priority I would certainly pledge support for funding an all-day kindergarten program if it would help secure state funds for five years. I would urge all members of the Board of Aldermen to support this.
2. The combination of increased spending and lowered mill rate will be crushing for many long-time Ansonia residents. A projected mill rate increase from 27.65 to 39.15 will be devastating to many home owners, particularly seniors and those on fixed incomes. Car taxes will also increase. There is a financial reality that must be appreciated. Raising the tax rate any further this year would be cruel (but all too usual) punishment for people already struggling in a bad economy.
3. I believe in the argument that a better education system can increase the tax base. However, does spending alone increase the quality of education? Looking at cities such as Waterbury and Bridgeport, it is clear to me that the answer is no. Increasing the burden on Ansonia’s working class taxpayers will likely force homeowners out and cause the proliferation of multi-family rental properties. The net economic benefit will be to out-of-town landlords.
4. A referendum on a larger school budget increase should be considered. Allow residents to weigh-in on this directly. Moreover, allow the proponents of a larger budget increase this year to make their case directly to the taxpayers. Or, a question could simply be included at the ballot during the bonding referendum being conducted next month. This would allow the city to get direct input from the residents.
5. Ansonia needs to take a unified stand against unfunded and unfair mandates from the Connecticut Board of Education. Money allocated by Hartford should be spent as our Board of Education sees fit. I trust Superintendent Merlone to makes decisions in the best interest of our children. I do not want a bureaucrat in another city telling her how those funds are best used. But if Ansonia does not take a stand, we will continue to get unfunded mandates and state funds will continue to be directed towards initiatives Hartford cooks up.
6. The Board of Education must prioritize keeping health insurance costs down. These costs prevent much of the funds budgeted by the city from actually getting into the classroom. If the city commits to long-term all-day Kindergarten funding, the Board of Education should reciprocally commit to a long-term cost-reduction plan.
7. Pulling funds from the reserve fund endangers Ansonia’s bond rating and is just plain irresponsible. Not to mention desperate. And not very creative either.
8. The budgetary system in Ansonia should be fixed so that the Board of Aldermen and Mayor set the budget. Approving a municipal budget is the single most important thing a municipal government does. The fact that unelected officials set the budget in Ansonia is absurd. The current system allows the aldermen to blame the tax board, and the tax board to blame the aldermen. Not to mention, it leaves the Mayor, our top elected official, out of the calculation entirely. It doesn’t get more political. The current system is atrocious. It lacks accountability and needs to be changed.
I hope those residents involved in the budget process stay involved. And I hope they consider becoming more involved – we need motivated and passionate people in City Hall.
The writer represents Ansonia’s Seventh Ward on the Board of Aldermen. He can be reached at 203 – 751-2854 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
